Her decision to join the House of Lords “completely undermines” attempts to hold the party to account and her recommendations are “ultimately compromised”, the report says. She is criticised for “absolving the Labour leader of any responsibility” and suggesting allegations should only be investigated if they occurred in the last two years.

The report concludes that repeated failures to tackle claims will increase fears that parts of the Labour movement are “institutionally anti-Semitic”.

The findings were made by Parliament’s Home Affairs Committee, which has carried out a six-month investigation into anti-Semitism, in Labour and elsewhere.

Last night, however, Mr Corbyn hit back, accusing committee members of “politicising anti-Semitism” and “using it as a weapon” to attack Labour. He said MPs had taken evidence from “too narrow a pool of opinion” and claimed the report “violates natural justice” by criticising individuals without giving them a “right to be heard”.

Baroness Chakrabarti takes her seat in the House of LordsCredit:
PA

The MPs’ criticism will be especially damaging for Mr Corbyn because two members of his party – Chuka Umunna and David Winnick – sit on the committee and backed the conclusions.

Mr Corbyn attempted to draw a line under the row in April by ordering an inquiry into anti-Semitism headed up by Shami Chakrabarti, who had just stepped down as head of human rights group Liberty. But her peerage has “thrown into question her claims (and those of Mr Corbyn) that her inquiry was truly independent”, MPs say.

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They add: “It is disappointing that she did not foresee that the timing of her elevation to the House of Lords, alongside a report absolving the Labour leader of any responsibility for allegations of increased anti-Semitism within his party, would completely undermine her efforts to address this issue.

“It is equally concerning that Mr Corbyn did not consider the damaging impression likely to be created by this sequence of events.”

There is also “no good reason” to say anti-Semitism allegations from more than two years ago should not be investigated except in exceptional circumstances, MPs say.

“We are not persuaded [Mr Corbyn] fully appreciates the distinct nature of post-Second World War anti-Semitism,” the report says.

Ken Livingstone, the former London mayor, caused a media storm with his comments on Hitler Credit:
warren allott for the Telegraph

Another part reads: “We believe that his lack of consistent leadership on this issue, and his reluctance to separate anti-Semitism from other forms of racism, has created what some have referred to as a 'safe space’ for those with vile attitudes towards Jewish people.”

It concludes: “The failure of the Labour Party to deal consistently and effectively with anti-Semitic incidents in recent years risks lending force to allegations that elements of the Labour movement are institutionally anti-Semitic.”

Commenting on the report, Mr Corbyn said criticism of Baroness Chakrabarti was “unfair” and attacked the committee’s handling of the inquiry. He called anti-Semitism an “evil” which led to the “worst crimes of the 20th century”, adding that it must “never [be] allowed to fester in our society again”.

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The two Labour MPs involved in the committee’s hearings endorsed the findings. Mr Umunna wrote on Facebook: “Clause IV of the Labour Party’s constitution states that we work to create a society 'where we live together freely, in a spirit of solidarity, tolerance and respect’.

“From the evidence we have taken, any objective observer will conclude that the Labour Party has failed to deliver on all our principles in the way that it has handled recent incidents of anti-Semitism.”

Tim Loughton, the Tory MP who is acting chair of the committee, said the report “does not pull its punches” and called on all political parties to “fight against anti-Semitism”.